Baffle for air ducts of generator coolers



Nov. 18, 1952 w. M. KENNEDY BAFFLE FOR AIR DUCTSOF GENERATOR COOLERSFiled April 20, 1949 INVENTOR WILLl QM M. KENNEDY MM ATTORNEY PatentedNov. 18, 1952 RAFFLE FOR AIR DUCTS OF GENERATOR COQLERS William M.Kennedy, Lyndhurst, N. J. Application April 20, 1949, Serial No. 88,609Claims. (Cl. 62140) 1 1 This invention relates to cooling systems asemployed in connection with turbine driving generators. Still moreparticularly, the invention deals with the use of condensationcollecting and dispensing bafiies in air ducts of cooling units of thistype and kind, thereby increasing eificiency of, and maintain operationof such units.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from thefollowing description when taken together with the accompanying drawing,7

in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed, and inwhich the separate parts are designated by suitable reference charactersin each of the views; and in which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side View of a genera-tor showing a coolingunit operating in conjunction therewith, with parts of the constructionbroken away; and

Fig. 2 is a partial section on the line 22 of Fig.1.

In Fig. l of the drawing, I have diagrammatically illustrated at 5, agenerator driven from a turbine or other motor shaft 6, and at l I haveindicated diagrammatically, a cooling unit for generators of this typeand kind. This unit comprises an air duct coupled with andcommunic=ating with opposed sides of the generator, as seen at t and 9.The air duct comprises one tube or housing 60 extending upwardly fromthe attached end a and in the tube it is disposed a fan housing I Idriven by an electric motor I 2. The upper end of the duct or housing Ii! communicates with a horizontal duct or housing portion 5 which inturn communicates with another vertical duct or housing M, the lattercommunicating with the generator at the end 9. In the upper end of thevertical portion I i of the housing or air duct, is disposed an aircooling mechanism I5 in the form of a series of pipe coils [6 throughwhich cool water, or other cooling means is circulated, as in otherdevices of this type and kind, inlet and outlet of the cooling mediumbeing disposed at the header #7.

Beneath the coils i i, the air duct l4 has a series of bailies i8, l8,l3 and 20, as indicated in section in Fig. 2 of the drawing. The bafiieI8 is disposed centrally of the air duct l4 and comprises downwardlyinclined side plates 2! terminating at their lower ends in upwardly andinwardly curved trough-like portions 22 having at one side of the airduct l4, discharges 23 to a common drain pipe 24. The troughs 22terminate short of the opposed walls of the air duct to provide aircirculating spaces 25. It will appear that the bafiles 19 are disposeddirectly below the circulating passages 25 and comprise upwardlyinclined walls 26 terminating at their upper end portions in upwardlyand outwardly curved flanges 2?, which lie beneath the bafiie l8 Wellinwardly of the trough 22, This produces a central circulating passage28 in the duct I4, as will be apparent. Suitable discharges 29 areprovided at the lower ends of the bafiie adjacent the side walls of theduct 14 which open into a common drain 3B.

Beneath the air circulating passage 28 and centrally of the air duct I4is disposed the baffie 20 which is reversed with respect to thearrangement of the baiile It in the sense that it has upwardly andlaterally flared walls 3| forming a trough-like structure of the baffle20 at the base of which is a discharge 32 opening into a drain 33. Upperends of the walls 31 have inwardly turned flanges 34 and these ends arespaced inwardly of the side walls of the air duct to form othercirculating passages 35, similar to the pas sages 25.

From the foregoing, it will be apparent that as air is circulatedthrough the cooling unit 1, it passes upwardly through the side H) ofthe air duct, across the upper part 13 of this air duct, down and aroundthe pipe coils i6, and then through the circulating passages 25, 28 and35, and thus through the generator.

Passage of heated air over the pipe coils l6 develops condensation,which condensation drops onto the baflies or is picked up by the bafliesin the circulation of air through the duct M or the passages 25, 28 and35 thereof, and this condensation is discharged through the drain ordischarges 24, 39 and 33. By overlapping adjacent bafiies, in the mannerillustrated. greater assurance of picking-up the condensate is provided,and by disposing of this condensate, the danger of destroying thegenerator is substantially eliminated. Circulation of moist air throughgenera.'

tors of the kind under consideration can become extremely destructiveand by providing baflies oi the type and kind illustrated and therequired number thereof, in a given unit, a definite con.-

trol and check is provided for substantially dispensing with excessmoisture in the air admitted to and passed through the generator.

In the accompanying drawing, I have shown one arrangement of baflles toaccomplish the desired result. It will be apparent, however, that thisarrangement may be amplified or varied to suit different conditions, andparticularly in increasing the number of bafiles employed. It ispreferred, however, that in the use of several baflles, thatarrangements be had which will collect the condensation throughout thecomplete cross-sectional area of the air duct, so as to prevent anypossible transmission of moisture directly down through the duct. Itwill be understood that the bafiies, as seen in sections, in Fig. 2 ofthe drawing, extend completely across or join front and back walls ofthe air duct id, as seen in Fig. 2. This has been indicated in dottedlines in Fig. 1 of the drawing.

In the present showing. the baflies are disposed cross-wise with respectto the circulating coils I 6. It will be apparent, however, that thebafiie may be disposed at right angles to the position shown, in whichevent, they would extend length- Wise withrespect to the coils.

'It will be understood that bafiles are arranged in-the air duct in amanner to cause the air to be deflected in its circulation through theair duct, thusgiving ample opportunity to displace themoisture. .In thisconnection it will be apparent that the curved ends-on the bailiesmaterially aidin collecting and directing condensation to the draindischarges of said baffles. In addition to collecting condensation, itwill also be understood'that the bafiies serve as means of eliminatingwater that might escape, by virtue of a leak, ,from the tubes. In otherwords, the ballles serve to eliminate transmission of moisture to thegenerator, which would materially affect the windings thereof.

:Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is:

l. A cooling system for apparatus of the class descrihed,.comprising anair duct having a horizontaltop part terminating in depending endsopening directly into widely spaced depending sides, cooling meansextending transversely through the upper portion of one side, meanscomprising a series of bafiles vertically spaced in. staggeredrelationship in said side of the air duct below said cooling means forcollecting condensation, said bafiies being arranged on opposed sidewalls of the duct and intermediate said opposed side walls, means fordisposing condensation from each of said bafiles outwardly of the airduct. the staggered arran ement of said baffles defining irregularcirculating passages throu h said side of the duct, and means in saidduct for providing forced circulation of air therethrough.

-2. A cooling system for apparat s of the class described, comprising anair duct having a horizontal top part terminating in depending endsopening directly into widely spaced depending sides, cooling meansextending transversely throu h the upper portion of one side, meanscomprising a series of baffies vertically spaced in staggeredrelationship in said side of the air duct below said cooling means forcollecting condensation, said bafiies' being arranged on o posedside-walls of the duct and intermediate said opposed side walls, meansfor. disposing condensation from each of said baflles outwardly of theair duct, the staggered arrangement of said bafiies defining irregularcirculating passages through said side of the duct, means in said ductfor providing forced circulation of air therethrough, and all of thebaffles terminating in curved free ends.

3. In cooling systems of the character described, comprising an air ducthaving vertical sides widely spaced and directly joined by a horizontaltop portion having depending ends opening into said sides, meansproviding a forced circulation of air through said duct, means in theupper portion of one vertical side of the air duct for cooling aircirculated therethrough, a plurality of baiiles ,in said side of the airduct directly beneath said relation to otheropposed walls of said ductto form'air circulating passages between said curved ends and last namedwalls, and other bailies extending inwardly from said second namedopposed walls and overlying ends of said first named bafile.

4. In cooling systems of the character described, comprising an air ducthaving vertical sides widely spaced and directly joined by a horizontaltop portion having depending ends opening into said sides, meansproviding a forced circulation of air through said duct, means in theupper portion of one vertical side of the air duct for cooling aircirculated therethrough, a plurality of bafiles in said side of the airduct directly beneath said cooling means, said baiiles being spacedvertically in the air duct and arranged to control circulation of airthrough said side of the duct, means for draining condensation collectedby said baiiles, one baflie being disposed centrally of the air ductbetween opposed walls thereof and having upwardly curved trough ends inspaced relation to other opposed walls of said duct to form aircirculating passages between said curved ends and last named walls,other baffles extending from the last named walls upwardly in thedirection of the central portion of the air duct, the upper ends of saidlast named baiilesterrninating in outwardly curved portions, and saidcurved portions being spaced apart to form centrally of the air duct anair circulating passage.

5. In cooling systems of the character described, comprising an air ducthaving vertical sides widely spaced and joined by a horizontal topportion, means providing a forced circulation of air through said duct,means in the upper portion of one vertical side of the air duct forcooling air circulated therethrough, a plurality of baiiles in said airduct directly beneath said cooling means, said bafiles being spacedvertically in the air duct and arranged to control circulation of airthrough said duct, means for draining condensation collected by saidbaiiles, one bafile being disposed centrally of the air duct betweenopposed walls thereof and having upwardly curved trough ends in spacedrelation to other opposed walls of said duct to form air circulatingpassages between said curved ends and last named opposed walls, otherbaffies extending from the last named upwardly in the direction of thecentral portion of the air duct, the upper endsor" curved portions, saidcurved portions being spaced apart to form centrally of the air duct anair circulating passage, another bafiie disposed in the air duct beneaththe first named baffle and said second named bafiies, said last namedbaflle being in the form of a trough shaped member, and upper ends ofthe trough shaped member being curved inwardly and spaced from thesecond named opposed walls of said air duct.

WILLIAM M. KENNEDY.

REFERENCES CITED UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Fryer Sept. 2,1879 Number Number Name Date Farrar June 22, 1909 Reynolds et a1 Jan.11, 1910 Lyle Dec. 30, 1913 Sykes July 1, 1924 Gargan May 12, 1925Parsons Aug. 28, 1928 Krackowizer Oct. 18, 1938 Buchanan July 22, 1941Wellington Dec. 30, 1941 Boettcher May 16, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS CountryDate France Jan. 31, 1913

